Portable, Foldable, Collapsible Bathtub

ABSTRACT

A portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub for infants or younger children that can collapse allowing for easy storage.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Infants and younger children are difficult to bathe in standard bathtubs found in most bathrooms. Infants and young children become slippery when wet. This is dangerous because the caretaker may lose grasp allowing the infant or younger child to slip into the water. To avoid this problem, some caretakers may bathe their infants or younger children in bathroom or kitchen sinks; however, the sink must be cleaned before and after the bath to address hygiene issues. Bathtubs made for infants and younger children are known in the art; however, in smaller homes and apartments, caretakers may not be able to store a bathtub. What is needed is a bathtub for infants and younger children that can be more easily stored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

A portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub for infants or younger children that can collapse allowing for easy storage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side, perspective view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub with the leg members in a non-operational position

FIG. 5A is a side view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in a non-operational position;

FIG. 5B is a front view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in a non-operational position;

FIG. 5C is a front view of an embodiment of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in a folded and locked position;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in an operational position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, the use of similar or the same symbols in different drawings typically indicates similar or identical items, unless context dictates otherwise.

The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be taken as limiting.

The present application uses formal outline headings for clarity of presentation. However, it is to be understood that the outline headings are for presentation purposes, and that different types of subject matter may be discussed throughout the application (e.g., device(s)/structure(s) may be described under process(es)/operations heading(s) and/or process(es)/operations may be discussed under structure(s)/process(es) headings; and/or descriptions of single topics may span two or more topic headings). Hence, the use of the formal outline headings is not intended to be in any way limiting. Given by way of overview, illustrative embodiments include a portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-6, in an embodiment, the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100 includes a tub section 104 where the tub section 104 has a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and defines a cavity 104 a, in its operational position, discussed further below, for supporting an infant or a small child during bathing. In an embodiment, the tub section 104 is made from rubber, silicone or other similar material that allows the tub cavity 104 a to hold liquid. In one embodiment, the tub section 104 is made from thermoplastic rubber.

Referring to FIG. 3, in an embodiment, the bottom, outside portion of the tub cavity 104 is operably attached to at least two plates 110 a, 110 b (collectively, “plates 110”). In an embodiment, the plates 110 are constructed from molded plastic or other similar material. In an embodiment, the bottom of the tub cavity 104 is flexible. In an embodiment, the tub 104 is flexible.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, in an embodiment, a flange 105 is located along the top portion of the tub section 104. This flange 105 extends perpendicularly outwardly from the tub section 104 and includes an upper surface 105 a (flange upper surface) and lower surface 105 b (flange lower surface). In an embodiment, the flange 105 is made from molded plastic such as polypropylene, or other similar material. In an embodiment, the thermoplastic rubber of the tub section 104 is operably attached to the flange upper surface 105 a so as to allow the tub cavity 104 a to hold liquid in the operational position. In an embodiment, the thermoplastic rubber of the tub section 104 is operably attached to the flange lower surface 105 b so as to allow the tub cavity 104 a to hold liquid in the operational position.

The tub section 104 is supported by leg members 101 a, 101 b, 101 c, 101 d (collectively, “leg members 101”). The leg members 101 are operably attached to the flange lower surface 105 b so as to allow the leg members 101 to extend downwardly therefrom, away from the center-line of the tub section 104. While the leg members 101 are shown as being attached to the flange lower surface 105 b by hinges 106 a, 106 b, 106 c, 106 d (collectively “hinges 106”), the leg members 101 may be secured to the flange lower surface 105 b by other known attachment means that would allow the leg members 101 to be folded adjacent to the flange lower surface 105 b, when the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100 is in the non-operational position; and extend downwardly therefrom, when the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100 is in the operational position.

In an embodiment, when the leg members 101 are folded adjacent to the flange lower surface 105 b, they may be locked in place. In an embodiment, when the leg members 101 are extend downward from the tub section 104 in the operational position, the leg members 101 lock in place to provide a secure base.

In an embodiment, the hinges 106 are operably connected to locking members 131 and 132. Locking member 131 is comprised of a hinge side 131 a and a locking side 131 b. Locking member 132 is comprised of a hinge side 132 a and a locking side 132 b. Locking side 131 b is indented and defines a hole 131 c. Locking side 132 b is protruded and defines a protuberance 132 c. When the leg members 101 are extended downwardly from the flange 105 the indentation of locking side 131 b accepts the protrusion of locking side 132 b. In an embodiment, fastener 133 secures members 131 and 132 in place to provide a stable base for the tub section 104. Fastener 133 may be a cotter, spring pin, dowl, screw, or another known fastener.

Referring to FIG. 1, in an embodiment, in its operational position, the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100 defines the cavity portion 104 a and the leg members 101 are pulled downward from the flange 105 and locked in place when locking member 131 and locking member 132 mate.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 5A-5C, in an embodiment, in its nonoperational position, the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100, does not define a cavity portion 104 a. The leg members 101 are folded adjacent to the flange lower surface 105 b. Referring to FIG. 5C, in an embodiment, the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub 100 may be folded, while in its nonoperational position by matching the ends of the horizontal axis. The ends may be secured together by lock 150. In an embodiment, the user may help the cavity portion 104 a collapse by applying pressure on the plates 110. 

We claim as our invention:
 1. A portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub therein comprising: a tub section, a flange, leg members; wherein the tub section has a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and defines a cavity, in its operational position; wherein the flange extends perpendicularly out from the tub section and has a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein the bottom surface is flexible; wherein the bottom surface is comprised of at least two plates that are operably attached to the flexible bottom surface; wherein the bottom surface of the flange is operably connected to the leg members having an operational position and nonoperational position; whereby, the cavity collapses in its nonoperational position.
 2. The portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub of claim 1 whereby in the nonoperational position, the tub section folds along a horizontal axis.
 3. The portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub of claim 1 whereby, the tub section is manufactured from at least one taken from the group of rubber, silicon, polyvinyl chloride cloth, Ethylene-vinyl acetate, thermoplastic rubber.
 4. A method to put a portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in an operational position where the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub is comprised of: a tub section, a flange, leg members; wherein the bottom portion of the sub section is comprised of at least two plates; wherein the tub section has a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and defines a cavity, in its operational position; wherein the flange extends perpendicularly out from the tub and has a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein the bottom surface of the flange is operably connected to the leg members having an operational position and nonoperational position; whereby, a user allows the centrally disposed longitudinal axis to define a cavity.
 5. A method to put a portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub in a nonoperational position where the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub is comprised of: a tub section, a flange, leg members; wherein the bottom surface of the tub section is comprised of at least two plates; wherein the tub section has a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and defines a cavity, in its operational position; wherein the flange extends perpendicularly out from the tub section and has a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein the bottom surface of the flange is operably connected to the leg members having an operational position and a nonoperational position; whereby, a user collapses the cavity.
 6. The method of claim 5 where the portable, foldable, collapsible bathtub is folded along the horizontal axis. 